Deleted Scenes
by Lord Shade
Summary: A drabble series about the events that you didn't see on TV. Ranges from love, angst, tragedy, misunderstandings, and all that other good stuff. Rated T just to be safe. Come on, you know want to read it. Accepting challenges. REVISED.
1. It's Too Early For This

**Disclaimer: **Until my evil plan has succeeded, I do not own Avatar (yet)

This idea has been bugging me for a while, and I'm glad that I've published it. I look forward to your reviews.

* * *

**IT'S TOO EARLY FOR THIS**

Toph Bei Fong was not a morning person.

Sh did not like the sounds of her fellow campers talking WAY too loud for this early, she did not enjoy the way the cold always somehow entered her air-tight rock tent, and she HATED being woken up.

"Wakey wakey, Toph. We have to get going. We don't want Azula's forces to catch up to us."

He was only being logical. Looking back on it, Toph realized she probably shouldn't have thrown that rock at Aang's head (which sent him flying 20 feet, she noted happily), but it was way too early to deal with his upbeat attitude, and he DID wake her up. And Toph Bei Fong DID NOT like being woken up.

"Sokka, why did you let him do that? You know how Toph gets in the morning!"

"I did warn him! But he said that 'Toph was a smart girl and wouldn't complain when she realizes how important it is that we get an early start'" he quoted.

"Poor naïve fool…" Zuko said, shaking his head.

* * *

Toph's morning ritual started with a cup of hot tea, and a short walk after getting dressed to wake her up and prepare her for a day's worth of insanity.

"Should we really let her go for a walk?" Zuko asked. "We should leave as soon as possible"

"You wanna tell her she can't go for a walk? Be my guest."

"…"

"It won't take long. She'll be back in about half an hour. Just relax until she comes back."

Zuko decided to take Katara's advice and walked off to take a quick bath. The closes stream was a good distance away so nobody would disturb him.

**

* * *

**

Toph was listening to the sounds of the Earth when she felt some very odd vibrations.

She listened carefully.

They sounded like…splashing?

Curiosity got the best of her and she went to investigate.

**

* * *

**

Using his firebending, Zuko turned the otherwise cold stream into a hot bath.

When it was at just the right temperature, Zuko began to undress and left all of his clothes next to his towel on a nearby rock. Sitting down on a natural chair of rocks in the stream, Zuko let the hot water wash all of his tenseness away.

This is exactly what he needed: some peace and quiet away from the insanity that often accompanied the "Gaang".

He closed his eyes and began to drift away…

"A little early for a swim, don't you think?"

Zuko's eyes sprang open.

**

* * *

**

Katara, Sokka, Aang, and Suki were taking a break from packing up when they hear a loud, and obviously pissed off scream, pierce the silence.

"TOPH?! WHAT THE HELL?! GET OUTTA HERE!

"What was that?!"

"That sounded like Zuko!"

Just as the foursome got up to investigate the screaming, a very angry and very red Zuko walked into the clearing, past his very confused friends, and into his tent. He was soaking wet, and was holding his clothes and wearing only his towel.

Too embarrassed by the whole situation to notice the vibrations of her fellow campers, a blushing Toph chased after him.

"I'm blind! How was I suppose to know you were naked?!"

-Awkward silence-

The same thought was on every person's mind at that moment: It's way too early for this…


	2. You Dont Think

**Disclaimer:** Despite recent rumors of a hostile takeover, I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. _Yet_

This drabble takes place during The Southern Raiders and Sozin's Comet Part 2. Italics are thoughts.

* * *

**YOU DON'T THINK…**

"Hey, Toph, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Suki. What's up?"

"Well, I know I'm new to the group, and I didn't want to ask Sokka, so I was just wondering…is there something going on between Zuko and Katara?"

If she had been drinking something, Toph would have spit it out dramatically.

"WHAT?"

"Well, it just seemed to me that Zuko was _really_ eager to go with Katara to look for the person who killed her mother."

"You're crazy. Didn't you see Katara yelling at him over nothing just now? Even _I _saw the mean looks she was giving him."

"Well, maybe she doesn't like him the way he likes her. Or maybe she was just pretending to keep suspicion off of their secret relationship."

"Secret relationship?"

Toph opened her mouth again to tell her how stupid she was, but nothing came out.

She had noticed that their heartbeats did speed up when they were around each other. But she had assumed that was just because they were either angry (her) or nervous (him) around each other. A secret relationship would explain their reactions around each other. And Zuko was more eager to prove himself to Katara then to any other member of the group. Not to mention the fact that Katara was practically stalking the ex-prince, following him like a shadow, supposedly to make sure that he doesn't try roasting them when their guard was down.

_Maybe Suki's onto something…_

She immediately cut that thought off.

"No. There is no way anything is going on between them."

Toph wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Suki or herself.

* * *

"Katara and Zuko are back" Suki said to Toph.

"Where are they?"

"They're with Aang at the dock. They're talking about something. But they're too far away for me to hea-WOAH!"

"What?"

"Katara and Zuko are…hugging."

Last night's conversation still fresh in their minds, the two female warriors looked at each other.

"You don't think…"

A few moments passed as they considered the possibilities.

"NAHHH!" they said at the same time.

"No way, they're just friends!"

"Yeah! They're complete opposites."

_Still…_

* * *

"I can handle Azula" Zuko said.

"Not alone" Iroh replied. "You'll need help."

"You're right. Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?"

"It would be my pleasure" she said with a devilish grin.

Nobody noticed the look that passed between Suki and Toph.


	3. Fickle Fate

This idea has been bugging me for a while and I'm really happy to finally write it down. This is a little bit longer than I had originally intended, but I'm still happy with the results. Not to put any pressure on you, but I would really like a review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

**Fickle Fate**

'Damn bounty hunter. How dare she leave me to hike through this stupid forest back to my ship? She should be apologizing for her epic failure of capturing the Avatar!'

"Prince Zuko, we need to find a place to rest for the night," Iroh said. "It would be unwise to hike through an unfamiliar forest.I believe that we are near the village that Jun had said the Avatar had visited. Perhaps they will have an inn that we may be able to stay at. I could use a good cup of hot tea right now." Zuko rolled his eyes. "And maybe we will be able to have our fortunes told as well."

Zuko glanced at his uncle, and judging by the look in his face, he was thinking about the old woman who called his elderly uncle handsome and had offered to read his fortune.

_I think I'm going to be sick.__  
_

_

* * *

_

They left the inn at sunrise the next day. They had to leave as soon as possible and catch up with the Avatar. There was no point in staying any longer than they had to.

"Can we not stay a little bit longer? I hear that the local tea shop brews a very good cup of jasmine tea."

"No! We can't afford any more delays. The Avatar already has a day's head start on us."

Zuko was determined to resume his journey as soon as possible, but Iroh was just as determined to visit Aunt Wu. He had heard of her legendary fortune teller abilities during his travels when he was young, and when he learned from a local that she lived here, he knew that this would be his only opportunity. Iroh would have to think of a way for them to stay just a bit longer and visit her.

"Perhaps, Prince Zuko, we should stay to question the locals about information on the Avatar."

Zuko paused for a moment and gave his uncle a questioning look.

"If the Avatar had visited this village recently, then perhaps the locals will have information on what direction he took or where he's headed."

Zuko contemplated the idea for a few moments.

"Fine. But we leave in two hours."

Iroh smiled. This early in the morning, the only peopl out would be workers and farmers, people Iroh did not believe the young Avatar commonly assosciate with. And since the Fortune Teller's office opened in two hours, the timing would be perfect.

"Very well, Prince Zuko."

_Hook, line, and sinker..._

* * *

_2 Hours later..._

"IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT SOME OLD WOMAN TOLD YOU! YOU STILL HAVE TO BATHE!"

The dirty old man did not reply, he just smiled knowingly and walked away, leaving behind a very angry and fustrated firebender.

"There you are, Prince Zuko. Have you found out anything useful?"

"Only that this village is full of idiots under the control of a fraud fortune teller named Aunt Wu."

"So you've heard of her. Apparently the Avatar saw her while he was in town. Perhaps we should question her. Her office has just opened."

Zuko stared at his uncle suspiciosly. "Uncle, did you-"

"Come Prince Zuko," interrupting the firebender,"we must hurry and be on our way."

Zuko followed, wondering if he had just been tricked.

* * *

They were greeted by a small girl with large ponytails. A normal person probably would have smiled at her goofy hair, or the funny little gap in her teeth, but not Zuko. He, off all people, did not have the right to judge someone on their appearance.

She stared at his scar, but immediately looked away when she met his scowl.

"Um...Aunt Wu will be with you shortly, so have a seat. Is there anything that I can get you while you wait?"

"A cup of jasmine tea would be perfect," Iroh said smiling. She bowed and left to fetch his tea.

"We don't have time for this. We should just walk in there and demand she tell us everything she knows about the Avatar."

"A little patience can go a long way, nephew."

The child appeared again and handed Iroh his tea. Zuko caught her staring again and she looked away blushing. But she wasn't staring at his face. If he didn't know any better, he would say she was looking at his...ears?

Another woman walked through a sliding door. "Aunt Wu will see you now."

Zuko rose and followed her to large room with a fire in the middle of the room. Sitting on a cushion behind the fire was the same old woman who had flirted with Uncle the other day.

"Sit young man, and I will give you glimpse of your future."

Zuko walked to her and stood over the small woman "I'm not here to have my fortune read," he said defiantly." A young monk and his two friends saw you recently. Tell me everything you know about him and where they headed."

She stared at him with a silent anger in her eyes. "It seems you do not have the same patience or manners that your uncle possesses."

The two glared at each other, neither one willing to look away first. Aunt Wu was the one that broke the silence.

"I get paid to tell fortunes, so if you sit down and let me do my job, then I will tell you everything that I know about the monk."

Zuko said nothing for a moment, but eventuallly sat down on a cushion next to her.

"Pick a bone from the bowl and throw it into the fire. By reading the cracks made by the heat, I will be able to see your future.

He picked up a random bone threw it into the fire. He watched silently as the heat from the fire created small weblike cracks. Using a metal stick, Aunt Wu fetched the bone from the fire and examined it.

"Hmm...very interesting..."

"What?" Zuko did not believe this fraud, but the sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could resume his journey.

"These cracks tell me that you have faced many hardships in your life and that they have left you with more that one type of scar. Scars that you try very hard not to show."

Zuko said nothing. He thought it would be better if he remained silent then point out that anybody who took one look at him would have been able to predict that he had had faced hardships.

"The road ahead of you is full of difficult challenges in which your strength and bravery will be tested. You will question your beliefs, your ideas, even who you are as a person. You will feel the sting of betrayl and heartbreak, and you will be pushed beyond your limits more than once."

He remained silent.

"But I also see good in your future. I see a group of friends that care about you very much. I see a nation ruled by a great leader blessed with peace and prosperity."

"I'm going to tell you a secret."Aunt Wu put the bone down and looked Zuko right in the eye. "What I see in this bone is just a possible future. It is up to you whether or not my prediction comes true. The decisions that you make and how you make them is what determines you future. I hope that when the time comes, you will be able to live you your choices."

This time it was Zuko that broke the eye contact first.

"The Avatar headed northeast on his bison with his friends two days ago. That is all I know."

Without saying a word, Zuko stood up an left the room to fetch his Uncle. When Iroh asked him how the fortune telling went, he replied with "She's a fraud and she doesn't know what she's talking about. We've wasted enough time here."

It wasn't until later that night that Zuko realized he had never told Aunt Wu that the monk he was looking for was the Avatar.


	4. Too Much Info

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Never will.

**Too Much Info**

It was decided that today the gaang would have a much needed break and have a small party on the beach of Zuko's old vacation home.

Although Toph's sandbending had gotten better over time, it was still difficult for her to 'see' others on the beach, especially if they were far away and out of sight like Katara was.

Even though everything was fuzzy, she could sense her footsteps walking down the beach. She also sensed another set of footsteps walking close behind her.

Probably just Twinkletoes chasing after her like some love sick puppy-kitten.

Now she sensed them getting close together. Very close. _Intimately _close. Toph would've given the world to be a regular blind girl so she wouldn't have to feel this.

"I think I'm going to be sick..."

"Are you okay, Toph?"

"Twinkletoes? How long have you been sitting there?"

"A while. Why?"

His light footstep and the difficulty of seeing in sand must've made him invisible to her.

"If you're here, then who's with...?"

Sokka and Suki came walking up to them carrying firewood. "Has anybody seen Zuko? He was supposed to be helping us get firewood but he's disappeared."

_Oh dear God..._

"Now I _know_ I'm going to be sick..."


	5. Old Aquaintances

Just to clear up some possible confustion, this fic takes place a couple of years after the show.

Disclaimer: I am not the mastermind behind Avatar and I don't own it. _sigh. _

**Old Aquaintances**

"Good afternoon, Lady Bei Fong. I see that we've had another 'training accident'," said Song with a large grin on her face.

"What can I say, the Boulder just won't learn," the earthbender replied with a smirk on her young face, holding a bruised and battered arm. "Got me with a lucky shot. Thought it was broken, but I think it's just sprained."

Toph sat down on an examination table as the newly employeed Healer of the Bei Fong residence began to examine the black and blue appendage. "It doesn't look as bad as the last time you were here, but it is sprained. I would suggest that you take it slow until it completely heals, but I know you won't listen to me."

Toph smiled. "Well I _have _to pay him back for what he did." Toph liked Song, who despite being very young, was a very good Healer.

"So I heard from one of the servants that the Fire Lord will be coming in three days to discuss with your family on how they could work together to rebuild the Earth Kingdom," Song said trying to make small talk while she wrapped bandages around Toph's hurt arm.

"Yea. Been a while since I saw Sparky."

"You must be excited to meet such a famous man."

"I guess. Hey, I'll introduce you to him."

"Really? I've never met someone so great."

Toph began laughing hysterically at that. "Sparky? _Great_? He's alot things, but great isn't really one of them. Temperamental, thickheaded, and angsty, but not great. Just try not to stare when I introduce you. He's apparently got this scar on his face and he _hates_ it when people stare."

"I'll be on my best behavior, I promise. Besides, I've seen some pretty bad scars before."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Well, I once met a handsome young man who had this large burn on his face. I met him when I was taking care of his sick uncle."

Toph's heartbeat skipped a beat. _No way. _

Trying her best to keep a straight face, she asked Song what he was like.

"Well, it was a while back, but I remember that he was very quiet, and the burn scar took up most of his face. He looked troubled, and I wanted to help him. I tried to show him that his scar wasn't as hideous as he thought, and that the world isn't a terrible place."

"What happend to him?"

"I don't know. He left when his uncle was well again. I don't think I'll ever see him again."

"You never know," Toph said with a devious smile on her face. "Who knows, you could meet him in,oh, I don't know...three days."

"I suppose...," Song replied with a confused look on her face.

"Well, if you're done here, I'm going to go and prepare for Zuko's arrival. Something tells me the next few days are going to be _very_ interesting," she said as she hopped off the examination table and left the office with a mischivious grin on her face.

_Very interesting indeed. _


	6. You're Not Fooling Anyone Pt I

Couldn't be happier with the way that this came out. I'm aware that Zuko seems a little OOC towards the end, but I believe that this is indeed the way Zuko would act towards someone he finds attractive (in denial and pushing them away). You may disagree, so review and tell me what you think.

Disclaimer: I am not the mad genius behind ATLA.

**YOU'RE NOT FOOLING ANYONE**

Being locked in a small cabin room gave one lots of time to think. And that's what Katara did as the ship she was imprisoned on swayed back and forth with the waves.

After looking back on it, she realized that the only person she could blame was herself. It wasn't Sokka's fault that the fire he built was what led the Fire Nation soldiers to their camp. Aang wasn't the one who decided that they should leave her behind.

No. The only person she could blame for her current incarceration was herself. It was her idea to stay behind in an attempt to slow Zuko down, which was a really stupid idea in retrospect. Her meager waterbending skills didn't stand a chance against his experience. In less than three minutes, she was on the floor in chains.

_Not one of my brightest moments. _

And there was no doubt in her mind that Aang and Sokka would risk capture to free her.

She sighed. _Well, it can't any better that this. _

"Uncle, why is the prisoner in one of the cabins and _not_ in the brig where she's suppose to be?!"

Katara jumped at the sudden interruption. She looked around for the source of the angry voice. When she looked up, she saw a small vent in the wall that must've been venting the conversation to her modest prison. The only question was who was she eavsedropping on?

"I felt that our guest should have better accommodations," said an older sounding voice.

"She is not our guest! She is our prisoner," the first voice replied angrily.

"That is no reason to forget our manners, Prince Zuko. She is a lady and should be treated like one."

So it was Zuko's conversation she was overhearing...

"I don't care about manners! If she escapes, then we lose our best shot of capturing the Avatar!"

"Calm down, Prince Zuko. I have posted guards at her door and I do not believe that her waterbending skills are strong enough to attempt an escape attempt. She is not going anywhere," he said calmly.

She heard Zuko grunt at his Uncle's sound logic.

"She is rather pretty, wouldn't you think?" said the oldman seemingly out of nowhere. "Brave too, the way she stood up to you to protect her friends."

"She's stupid for challenging me to a fight."

Katara scowled at that comment. _Well, why don't you come down here for round two and see what happens then?_

"Perhaps, but you cannot deny her beauty," the uncle said with a grin that she could hear through the small vent. Katara felt her face get hot.

"Her beauty is irrelevant, Uncle. I only care about capturing the Avatar!"

"So you do think that she is beautiful...."

"Wha-no-what I-that's not what I said!" Katara could practically _hear_ him blush through the small metal opening (which was appropriate since she had turned an even darker shade of red).

"I still do not hear you denying that you think she is beautiful."

"Shut up! Don't you have anything better to do, Uncle, than to bother me with pointless questions?"

"Yes, but I feel that as your elder, it is my responsibility to ask you pointless questions. Questions like 'what kind of tea should I bring our new guest?'"

"She's not our guest!"

"Perhaps she would like some hot jasmine," he said to himself not paying attention to Zuko's growing anger.

A second of silence passed before Katara heard the sound of a door closing, which meant that Zuko's uncle had gone to get her some tea.

_I could use a hot cup of tea right now_.

"Crazy old man." Apparently Zuko hadn't left with his uncle. "She's a peasent and I'm a prince," he said to himself. "She's not even that pretty...." It took all of Katara's strength not to scream into the vent.

_Yeah, well you're not that good looking either..._

_Okay, that's kind of a lie..._

_What the hell am I saying?! This is Zuko!_

_Yeah, but still... You gotta admit that he's got that attractive bad-boy look._

_Shut up shut up shut up shut up!!! He's been trying to capture one of my best friends for weeks now! He's evil and disgusting! He's Fire Nation!_

_Yeah, but he's still pretty good looking..._

"SHUT UP!"

"Quiet it down in there," grunted one of the guards from the other side of the door.

Katara sighed.

She layed down on the small bed of her cabin. The last thing she thought before she fell asleep in the comfortable prison was '_The cute guy thinks I'm beautiful...'_


	7. Worth It

**Worth It**

Although he enjoyed living in the Fire Nation advising the new Fire Lord, Iroh looked forward to the occasional diplomatic visit to Be Sing Se. Being in the great city allowed the former general to monitor his thriving tea shop more closely. Not that he didn't have any confidence in the manager that he assigned to watch it while in the Fire Nation. He just liked seeing The Jasmine Dragon's success in person.

"Hello, Iroh. It is good to have you back," the manager said with a smile, as Iroh walked into the tea shop.

"It is good to be back, Raku."

"How are things in the Fire Nation? Is the Fire Lord doing well?"

"Yes, my nephew is fine, thank you for asking. It is funny you should ask, he will be arriving soon with his wife to speak with one of the Earth King's diplomats. How is The Jasmine Dragon doing," he asked, getting straight to business.

"We are doing better than ever now that the war is over. In fact, we've had to hire two new waitresses just to keep up with business. Here they come now," he said, nodding to two girls who had just walked into the tea shop.

Iroh looked at the two new employees for a moment and thought that they looked very familiar, but for the life of him, couldn't quite place their faces.

Then it hit him like a bolt of lightning straight to the royal berries.

"S-Song? Jin? You are the new waitresses?" A weaker man probably wouldn't have survived the shock that Iroh felt when he saw the two girls.

"Mushi?," they said at the same time with a shocked expression on both of their faces. Then they looked at each other, each wondering how the other knew the old man standing in front of them.

"Who is Mushi," Raku asked.

"No one," replied Iroh with a nervous smile on his face. "H-Hello, Song. When did you move to the city?"

"We moved when the Fire Nation was getting close to my home," she said with an equally nervous smile on her face.

"How do you three know each other," asked the manager.

"They are...uh...old friends of my nephew. Song helped me when I was sick, and Jin was a...ahhh...loyal customer when I lived in the lower ring." Iroh was sweating bullets.

"How is Lee, by the way," asked a blushing Jin, hoping the change in topic would alleviate some of the tension in the air.

"Lee? I thought your nephew's name was Zuko," said a very confused manager.

The eyes of both girls bulged almost completely out of their skulls when they heard the name of the legendary Fire Lord that had ended the One-Hundred Year War.

"Z-Zuko?" Song was stammering, almost as if she was afraid of the answer to her next question. "As in Fire Lor-"

"Here he comes now," interrupted Raku. "And with his wife."

Every head turned to see the scarred and regally dressed Fire Lord enter the tea shop. Walking beside him was an exotic and beautiful young woman dressed in multiple shades of blue that was no doubt his waterbending wife. There was no denying it. The handsome and troubled boy that stuck out so clearly in the memories of both girls was now the married man standing in front of them. Neither knew which fact hurt more: that he lied and betrayed them all those years ago, or that he was no longer single.

Iroh thought about leaving the room and giving his nephew some privacy to straighten out the awkward situation, but realized that he would never get another opportunity to see something like this in his entire life. He wasn't going anywhere.

_This should be interesting..._

"Good afternoon, Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Katara. It is good to see you again," greeted the manager.

Katara, always wearing a radiant smile, beamed at Raku. "Hello, Raku. How are things going?"

"Quite well, thank you. I was just introducing Iroh to our new waitresses when you came in. They tell me that they are old friends of Fire Lord Zuko."

"Is that right?" She now turned to the previously ignored girls standing in front of her. She was about to ask them how they knew her husband, but when she saw their horrorstruck face staring intensly at Zuko, she turned to him and saw that he wore the same shocked expression. "Zuko, is someting wrong?"

"N-no," he said quickly, recovering from his mild heart attack. "Uhh...hello Jin. It is good to see you again after so long."

_God hates me. That's gotta be it. God truly, truly hates me. _

"Lee-I mean Zuko-I mean Fire Lord Zuko. I didn't know you..."_ lied to me about everything, you no-good, two-timing, man-whore_ "were married. Congratulation."

"Uh, yes. This is my wife Katara. Katara, this is Jin. She...uh...used to...visit me...when I lived in Be Sing Se."

Katara, completely unaware that this was the first unofficial meeting of the Girls-Who-Had-A-Crush-On-Zuko Club, took Jin's hand and shook it happily. "Any friend of Zuko is a friend of mine." The Fire Lady now turned to the other waitress before her, who was currently a dark shade of red. "Are you an old friend of Zuko's too?"

Snapping back to reality, she answered the beautiful woman with a shy "yes." Song never took her eyes off the guilt struck Zuko. "I helped him and his Uncle once. My name is Song by the way."

"It's nice to meet you. You said your name is Song? Your name sounds so familiar..."

It was maybe a week after Zuko joined the 'Gaang' when the topic of old girlfriends came up, and Zuko, not wanting to lose face infront of his new friends, might or might not have mentioned a pretty Earth Nation nurse who totally into him.

_God, if you have even the smallest amount of love for me, you won't let her remember._

"Now I remember!"

_Of course you do..._

"She was the nurse...who...ooohhh...," she said now sporting a blushing face that perfectly matched said nurse.

_Well, at least it can't get any worse. _

Almost as if God himself heard this as a personal challenge, the newly elected ambassador of Be Sing Se entered the tea shop with a bored expression on her face. Mai walked into the tea shop prepared for a boring and somewhat awkward conversation with her ex and his wife. Things were still a little weird between Zuko and Mai, but for the sake of world peace, she put up with the occasional awkward silence.

"Hey, Zuko. Hey, Katara. Hey, Jin." She did a double-take.

She considered asking why the pretty local was in the tea shop with an obviously fake and nervous smile on her face. But in true Mai fashion, her only thought was _Whatever. Don't ask, don't tell_.

The next hour was one of the longest that Fire Lord Zuko had ever had to endure. Katara and Mai wouldn't stop glaring at each other, Jin refused to make eye contact with the him, and he couldn't look at Song without being overcome with the guilt. And to make matters worse, Song and Jin, being waitresses, had to wait on him throughout the entire meeting. And Iroh's quiet snickers and knowing smiles weren't helping. In fact, if he didn't get that stupid grin off his wrinkled face, he was going to roast him right there and then.

Actually, it would probably be less painful to roast himself than continue to be surrounded by the four members of the Used-To-Have-A-Crush-On-Zuko-But-Now-Want-To-Kick-Him-In-The-Crotch Club.

With the meeting finally over, Zuko rose from his seat and turned to the two nervous waitresses.

"Well, it was good seeing you two again. But I have to get goin-"

"Lord Zuko," interrupted Iroh, "I just had the best idea. Seeing as we will be in the city for another week, we should invite Song and Jin to join us for the ball in three days. It would provide a wonderful chance to catch up," he said with a grin.

All eyes turned to the formal general. "It is the best way to repay Song for her unpaid kindness from so long ago. And I'm sure Jin would love to come as well."

Song and Jin, forgetting the previous hour's awkwardness, both turned to Zuko with hope filled eyes. "Really, Zuko? We can go?"

"Uhh...sure. Y-you can both go." He didn't notice Mai roll her eyes or the jealous and fustrated looks that Katara was giving her husband.

The girls were so happy, they hugged him, all previous lies and hurts forgotten. "Ohh thank you thank you thank you...," they squealed. Zuko slept on the couch that night.

If looks could kill, then the one the blushing Zuko was giving Iroh would have certainly done the job.

_You're going to pay, old man._

Iroh merely smiled at him.

_Totally worth it. _

_

* * *

_

There are few things in this world that is more fun than torturing Zuko.

I can't tell you how much fun I had writing this chapter. The idea for this came when I read the Azula chapter of an Avatar fic called 'World Tour' (highly recommended). I thought to myself, 'how would Zuko react if he came home and saw Song and Jin standing in his living room?'

Don't flame me if you think that they're OOC. I did my best.

And I apologize for having to picture Iroh's royal berries.


	8. Fathers of the Forgotten

**Fathers of the Forgotten**

****

When Haru first saw Hakoda, he was instantly reminded of his own father. They were both proud warriors who had been imprisoned for fighting against evil and persecution.

Hakoda and Tyro probably would have gotten along pretty well. They had a lot in common. They were both good men and even better fathers.

But Haru knew that despite their similarities, they had still had one major difference between them: their sons.

Hakoda's son risked everything to free his father.

Tyro's son ran as fast as he could and hid in a temple like a child.

Hakoda's son was able to laugh with his father.

Tyro's son couldn't stop thinking about the prison he was probably sitting in.

Hakoda's son never stopped hoping.

Tyro's son never looked back.

They had a lot in common, but the one difference between them was why Hakoda was there to pat his son on the back while Tyro sat in a Fire Nation prison. So when he heard Hakoda say "I'm proud of you son," Haru felt his heart break.

* * *

Teo wore a smiling mask while Jealousy drove a sharp stake through his chest. The sight of a proud father embracing his son nearly drove him mad.

He was envious that Sokka had a father who fought the enemy without giving up his morals.

Why was Sokka allowed to walk to his hero father?

Why did he have to sit and wonder if his own father was still alive?

He was just as smart and brave as Sokka. So why didn't the Spirits bless _him_ with the same gifts that others took for granted.

Like the ability to stand and be proud of a strong father? Hasn't he sacrificed just as much as Sokka and Katara? If anything, he deserves to be happy _more _than the Water Tribe siblings. Because while they knew who their father was and what kind of man he was, Teo's father had been lying to him for years.

What had he done to justify such unhappiness?

Later that night, Shame arrived and Teo shed tears.

* * *

The boy had to lift his too-big helmet to see the dark skinned man embrace his son and daughter in a hug.

He should've felt happy for them. He wanted to. Really, he did. But he could only feel bitter jealousy and shame as he looked at the reunited family.

_I wonder what it's like to have a daddy..._

He used to fantasize what his father would look like. He would imagine an unbeatable giant able to defeat a hundred Fire Nation soldiers at once, unarmed, in the dark! His "father" would take his son on trips and teach him how to hunt and fish and fight. His father would always be there to check for the monster that was under the bed. His father would be do anything for his son.

But every time he thought about his father, a stray thought would creep into his mind, whispering a statement that hurt the child to his very core and left him feeling scared and ashamed: _his father left him behind when the soldiers came._

* * *

A little darker than some of the other chapters, but this was the only way to make the plot bunnies let me sleep at night.

I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates. The last couple of weeks have been the most stressful of my life. My sister just told me she's pregant, my uncle got arrested for a misdemeanor, and I had to help prepare for a huge party with at least 100 people. Needless to say, I haven't had much time for updates. I hope you can forgive me.

Besides the plot bunnies, I decided to write this when I realized I had written a chapter where almost every other character except these three had at least appeared in the other chapters.

Review and tell me what you think.


	9. You're Not Fooling Anyone Pt II

**You're Not Fooling Anyone-Part II**  
_it's rude to eavesdrop, you know..._

After his Uncle left, Zuko pulled out some maps of the land around his ship and tried to come up with a plan to capture the Avatar.

_If I put soldiers here...here...and here...then the Avatar will be surrounded. _

_But what about the peasant warrior? One soldier should be enough to incapacitate him. Better make it two. He's proved elusive in the past. _

"I thought you would like some tea to help pass the time." Zuko was surprised by the sudden interruption. He even jumped up a little, not expecting to suddenly be interrupted by his Uncle. He didn't even hear the door open. Iroh was stealthier than Zuko gave him credit for. But surprised as he was, Zuko was committed, so he didn't turn around to greet his Uncle and remained focused on the maps in front of him.

"Come now, tea is an excellent way to order one's thoughts during stressful days like this one."

Zuko continued to ignore his Uncle. He just scowled and tried to block out the old man's voice.

_The giant bison could be troublesome...Maybe if I give these soldiers nets...and put them here..._

"Tea is especially important for a growing girl."

Zuko's eyes bulged comically. His Uncle did NOT just call him a girl. He turned around, back erect, fists burning, and eyes blazing. He opened his mouth ready to unleash a furious torrid of insults that would make all his other moments of anger look like childish pouting in comparison.

But he blinked and closed his mouth when he saw he was completely alone. He looked around the room, wondering where his Uncle could have possibly gone.

"Now what type of tea do you prefer? Jasmine or Green?"

The sound of Iroh's elderly voice came from far left, but when Zuko turned his head to the source of the question, all he saw was a blank wall. Had his Uncle suddenly turned invisible to avoid his wrath? Zuko quickly threw that possibility out. The sooner one started to entertain those kinds of thoughts, the sooner they ended up living in a large white room with soft walls.

"Um...Jasmine is fine, I suppose..."

This second voice was very feminine and eerily familiar. Dear Agni, was he going crazy?

"An excellent choice, my dear. I have always been particularly fond of that one myself."

Eager to prove his own sanity, Zuko examined the wall closely. He was determined to prove to himself, at least, that his Uncle's tea obsessed life hadn't driven him insane. When he found the air vent, Zuko quickly concluded that he was eavesdropping on somebody else's conversation (and was quite sane).

"I want to apologize for your current accommodations. If it were up to me, you would be given a much nicer room to stay in. Unfortunately, my nephew is not quite as courteous to his guests as I am. A fact I am desperately trying to change."

"Oh, so I'm his guest now?" she spat venomously. "I was under the assumption that I was his _prisoner_."

Zuko scowled at her sudden outburst. The peasant should be grateful that she's not in chains and that she was allowed to keep her room.

"You should never assume, darling. It never turns out well," he said, skillfully changing the topic.

A tense silence followed Iroh's odd statement and lasted several moments before Katara spoke again. "So you're Zuko's Uncle?" her tone a combination of suspicion and curiosity.

"Yes. Please, call me Iroh. And what should I call you?"

She hesitated for a second, unsure whether she should give her name to the uncle of the boy that had been trying to capture her and her friends. "Katara," she said reluctantly.

"Katara," Iroh repeated. "A beautiful name. It suits you well."

Katara smiled despite herself. She knew she should be more on edge around this stranger, but the old man was very charming and had a way of making you feel like you were talking to an old friend.

Zuko rolled his eyes. That was his Uncle alright.

"I find that tea tastes much better when shared. However, my nephew does not share the same mentality. So I'm forced to find new friends to enjoy my tea with."

"Zuko doesn't look like the type to enjoy tea_._ Or anything, for that matter." Katara's tone was icy and vicious. The peasant's attitude was starting to get to Zuko. And if she didn't start showing him the respect that a Prince deserved, you can bet she was going to spend the night in chains.

"My nephew has been through a lot in his short life. He has seen too much pain and anguish and I'm afraid that it has made him narrow-sighted, unable to appreciate small things that make life great. He is less a boy and more like an old war veteran."

Zuko instantly tensed. This was the first time that Zuko had ever heard his Uncle talk about him to someone else. And the mournful tone of Iroh's voice made him even tense.

Another moment of silence before Zuko heard Katara's voice echo through the vent.

"Everybody has issues. He's not the only one that has to deal with having a hard life. He needs to learn to deal with his past. Maybe then he can find a better future and find out who he really is."

Zuko's clenching hands had turned his knuckles white. Anger blazed within the prince, insulted at his prisoner's words. Who was she to say such things about him? She was just a stupid backwater peasant who couldn't bend a puddle to save her life! She didn't know anything about him or his life. She was a fool who didn't even have the right to so much as look at him, let alone give him advice on his life!

But far in the corners of his mind, Katara's words echoed.

Even the tone that she had used had gotten to him. Her voice had lost the icy sharpness that she used before when referring to him. Instead she spoke with a silent conviction one might use when advising an ally, a comrade...a friend.

"You are wiser than your age, Katara," said Iroh. "Perhaps I could set up a meeting between the both of you, so you can give him some more advice."

"What?" asked a shocked Katara.

_What?_ thought a shocked Zuko.

"Tomorrow I'll set up a lunch date so you two can talk. I have a feeling that the words of a pretty young woman might be more effective than those of an old, tea drinker."

"A lunch...date?"

Every muscle in Zuko's body tensed immediately. Dear Agni, was his Uncle trying to set him up on a…a date? What was the world coming to?

"We have an excellent cook on board and he'll cook you anything you want. So what would you like for lunch tomorrow?"

"Uh...I'm not...well, I don't think tha-

"No suggestions? Well, the cook's specialty is sweet and roasted pork and fish and shrimp stew. Which do you like more?"

"Umm...the stew, I guess. But I don't thi-"

"Wonderful. Have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow morning," he said just as he left the room.

Never more furious and humiliated in his life, Zuko's scowling face had turned a dark shade of red. How dare his Uncle try and set up such ludicrous plans? And behind his back no less! If Iroh seriously thought that that pointless lunch...conference-conferences because it was certainly NOT a date- was going to happen, than the former General was even crazier than Zuko had previously thought.

And his face was red out of anger, not embarrassment. And his heart was racing because he was so damn furious, and _not_ because he had never been on a date before-not that that matters!. And his palms were sweating because...well, he didn't know why his palms were sweating... But it was certainly not because of her!

Later that night, Katara was moved to a different room and the air vent was promptly blocked up.

As Zuko lay in his bed, one final thought drifted through his mind before he entered the land of dreams.

_She's not even that pretty..._

* * *

Zuko and Katara never had their lunch date because Katara had escaped sometime in the night.

Iroh was very disappointed.

Perhaps because he was too preoccupied with thoughts of capturing the Avatar and she was busy thinking about trying to survive, both teenagers had completely forgotten about the air vent and the conversations they overheard. Even when the two were traveling together and on good enough term that they could be called friends, neither one remembered that fateful night. Or if they did, they didn't mention it.

The whole thing might have gone completely forgotten if Iroh hadn't very loudly mentioned it to them years later during dinner... with the whole Gaang...and the entire Royal Fire Nation Court.

* * *

A/N:

I sincerely apologize for the long lack of updates. My life has been real hectic lately. I been busy with summer college classes and looking for a job. I just haven't had the time to do anything lately. But I promise that's all going to change. I'm going to make some time for FF.

And I have one other piece of news that I'm very happy about. I'm going to be an Uncle!

My older sister is five months pregnant and it's going to be a boy. I'm incredibly happy. If I knew how, I would put some pictures of the ultrasound on my profile. His name is going to be Dean.

So drop a review and tell me what you think or offer your congratulations. Either one is fine. I just want reviews.


	10. Choosing A Lesser Evil

**Lesser Evil**

It soon became clear to Zuko and Mai that the process of choosing a lesser evil to baby-sit their children would _not_ become easier with time.

Katara would often spoil the children rotten with chocolates and sweets, then drop them off at the Palace right as the sugar rush kicked in, making the children go mad with boundless energy.

_We got another complaint from the caretakers about Kuzon and Zora. They were uncooperative and broke another vase._

_I'm sorry, Mai. But they're both so darn cute. I just can't say no to them!_

* * *

Sokka's definition of a bed-time story was more often than not an embarrassing story of Zuko when he was younger.

_So how did you enjoy spending the day with your Uncle Sokka, Zora?_

_It was great! Uncle Sokka tells me all kinds of funny stories! Like the time you walked in on Aunt Katara when she was bathing in the riv-_

_Now, now, Zora! I don't think we need to hear about _that_ story._

I_ would certainly like to here more about it, though, Mai said from behind Zuko with a cross look on her face._

* * *

Despite frequent warnings to stop, there was nothing Aang loved more than to take the children on _very_ high rides on Appa. And the children loved him for it.

_I don't care if you are the Avatar! If you take my son or daughter for another roller-coaster ride on that fuzzy giant, you're gonna have another Fire Nation war to worry about!_

_Can I still take them on my glider?_

* * *

The children were somewhat frightened of their Aunt Azula.

_Could you please explain to me why my son has been doing fire-squats with ankle weights attached to his legs for the past hour?_

_He disrespected me and needed to be disciplined. _

_He's four and he said your shoes were ugly._

_I'm nipping his insolence in the bud, Zuzu. You should be thanking me. _

* * *

After spending only one night with Kuzon and Zora, Toph downright _refused_ to go anywhere near the "demon spawn".

_So how exactly do two children sneak up on _you, _of all people__, tie you to a chair, and leave you there for almost two hours while they vandalize the Royal Library?_

_I'm still trying to figure it out myself, Sparky._

* * *

Of all the sitters the Royal Siblings had gone through, the one they loved the most was Ty Lee. Her spontaneous field trips throughout the Royal City were often the highlight of their week. In fact, these field trips were so spontaneous, Ty Lee often didn't have enough time to mention to the Fire Lord or Lady that she was taking their children.

_Why, in Agni's name, did you take my children to some shadey, run-down circus in the middle of the city without notifying me or Zuko!_

_I wanted them to see the dancing platypus-bears. _

* * *

And Iroh, by some miracle (or curse, in Zuko's opinion) would find a way to gather all of Kuzon's and Zora's aunts and uncles and start a completely pointless party in the Royal Sibling's honor that would give Zuko an Appa sized headache.

_But this party is not completely without point, Lord Zuko. We've all gathered to honor young Zora's 11th and three-quarters birthday! _

_But why did you have to have it in my _private_ study?_

_Well, when we couldn't find you, we all assumed that you must be in a very important meeting. So we gathered here to give you some privacy, Lord Zuko. Would you like some tea? Kuzon is quite talented at brewing a calming cup of jasmine tea. _

Authors Notes:

This chapter is dedicated to two people.

The first is my unborn nephew, who provided the inspiration for this Maiko chapter. My sister will be the first one of us to be having a child, so my entire family is incredibly eager to meet, spoil, and love little Dean. I know I can't shut up about this kid, but I can't help it. I love kids. And I'm not lying when I say there is a family member that is going to be exactly like each of the characters in this fic. I like to think I'm gonna be like Iroh. My brother will probably be like Sokka, telling all kinds of story that will warp the kid's impressionable mind. My mom is definetly Katara, spoiling the kid rotten. My Uncle is Aang, going on terrifyingly fast joy rides in Appa, his 86 Mercedes. My cousin is probably gonna be Azula and Toph (she's doesn't really like kids). And my Grandpa is gonna be exactly like Ty Lee, taking little Dean out on all kinds of outings.

Enough about Dean. Onto other matters..

This Maiko chapter is for 3Blue3Moon3, who is one of my favorite (and probably only) constant reviewers. Another Maiko is on the way.

Wow, 3Blue3Moon3's dedication is alot smaller that Dean's. Hopefully, 3Blue3Moon3 doesn't take offense to this.


	11. Little Known Facts

**DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!**

Who's Will Robinson? I'm Lord Shade.

**MAIKO ALERT! MAIKO ALERT! BEWARE!**

::_stares at robot incredulously_:: Yeah, I know. I wrote it.

**DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!**

My name is Lord Shade! Not Will Robinson! Who the $&!# is Will Robinson?

**DISCLAIMER ALERT! DISCLAIMER ALERT! YOU DO NOT OWN AVATAR!**

::_speaking into the intercom_:: _Will Robinson, will you please come and claim your annoying robot before it is dismantled and sold for spare parts. _

Will Robinson: He's your problem now.

**

* * *

**

Little Known Facts

1) The first time Mai met Zuko, she almost kills him with one of her knives. Coincidently, that was also the day Mai learns the importance of _aiming._

2) Mai liked Zuko better with short hair.

* * *

3) Mai doesn't really consider herself the jealous type. But the first time she met Katara outside of battle and saw how friendly she was with Zuko, they met eyes, said a simple hello to each other, and entered an icy staring contest, neither one blinking. It took a few tense and frightening moments of silence before Sokka and Zuko realized what was happening.

Fortanetly, they were able to seperate the two warriors before things escelated any further.

* * *

4) After a _spectacular_ battle where sharp steel met hard earth, Mai finally received Toph's blessing.

_You know, for a crazy emo girl, you're not half bad..._

* * *

5) Mai doesn't know what an emo is, but doesn't feel like pushing her luck by asking.

* * *

6) After the wedding, Tom-Tom had a wonderful reunion with Momo's tail.

* * *

7) Bumi took it upon himself to escort the honeymooners throught Omashu. However, they drew the line when it came to the city chutes

_Are you sure? It's the fastest way to travel_.

* * *

8) When a group of terrorist kidnapped the Fire Lord and his 7-year old daughter, they hid in a mountain fortress so well defended, not even the famed Fire Nation Shock Troopers could break in.

However, in one night, a single warrior burst through the front doors, _destroyed_ every last criminal, and freed the hostages. She fought with enough raw fury and power to rival that of the ancient dragons themselves. During the whole fiasco, the terrorists wondered if they were fighting a woman or a demon.

As the final warrior lays on the ground, a crimson puddle forming under him, darkness creeping into the edges of his vision, he looks up to his opponent and asked in a quivering voice, "Who...who are you." She turned to him, eyes blazing with the flames of a thousand volcanoes.

"Your worst nightmare: a wife and mother."

* * *

9) The second time Zuko met Mai, he almost kills her. How was he supposed to know that the shelves in the Library weren't bolted down and would topple like dominoes? And what was she doing in the Library alone, anyways?

* * *

10) One day, Zuko sat down with his 4-year old son and tried to explain to him the importance of patience. Kuzon got bored and accidentally set the table cloth on fire. The only thing that Mai had to say to her son was, "You're definetly your father's son, all right," with the ghost of a smile on her face.

* * *

11) Mai was a terrible dancer.

* * *

12) Mai was an even worse cook.

* * *

13) Zuko slept on the couch the night he made a joke about Mai's dancing and cooking.

* * *

14) Zuko thought Mai looked better with her hair tied back.

* * *

15) The third time Zuko bumps into Mai (literally), he makes her drop the fragile porcelein tea set that she holding. When a stern-faced Royal Caretaker asks who made the mess, Zuko and Mai remain silent with bowed heads.

A frighteningly tense moment passes befor Mai looks up, tears already forming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It was an accide-"

"It was me," interrupts Zuko. "I dropped it. She had nothing to do with it." Zuko doesn't turn his head to see Mai's confused expression.

"Your father will not be happy to hear about this, Prince Zuko."

As Mai watches the Prince walk away to a punishment that should have been hers, she feels a warm blush cover her face.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

It's been a while since I've had a chance to write and post a story, so sorry about the wait. Going ons at home are making it increasingly difficult to actually do write. The biggest distraction being school (Thought I was gonna go on another rant about my unborn nephew, didn't ya?). I'm kinda on my own registering for school here, so it's been kinda hectic.

I'm also working on another story. Any free time to write is gonna go to that, so the time in between updates may be a while. Sorry. It's gonna be a Zuko centric story. Don't wanna give to much away, so I'll just say it's a Groundhog's Day/Tales of Ba Sing Se crossover. Looking for beta-readers, so tell me if you're interested.


	12. Where Would You Be Without Me?

**Just Shut Up**

The fighting was starting to get annoying.

Like, _really_ annoying. You couldn't even take a decent nap around here anymore.

But as exasperating as the yelling was, no one was willing to do anything about it. Every human in the traveling party was content to just let the waterbender and their new firebending companion scream at each other all day long. It was like they were deaf to the insults and swearing.

Why were all these humans completely blind to the fact that he and Appa were completely sleep deprived? What could they possibly be doing that was more important than daily naps? It's not like they were saving the world or anything. Not with all the excess angst they were carrying around. Sure these humans were impressive with their bending and all, but they didn't even have tails. Seriously, how can you be expected to do anything heroic and _not_ have a tail? These kids probably couldn't even save a cabbage. Literally.

Lucky, they have their good friend Momo to watch out for them. He shudders to think where they would be without him.

So it seems that yet _again_ it was up to Momo to bring peace to the group and save these kids from themselves. Couldn't they do anything for themselves?

It wasn't all that hard to figure out the source of the yelling. He just had to follow the screaming.

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't the smoky-smelling two-legger that was the cause for all the aggression. It was the female that smelled like water. The scarred boy would just be standing there, performing some helpful chore or accomodating task, and she would walk up to him, aggression etched into every step and without any provocation whatsoever, begin to insult and accuse the boy. At first he accepted her harsh words without resistance, an even bigger shock to the lemur, who remembers a time when this two-legger was the very definition of anger.

But you can only take so much unjustified hostility for so long before you snap. And boy did he _snap_.

Now they argued at even the sight of each other.

It was a daily ritual. She would curse and accuse then he would retort and insult.

But at the end of every fight, as they walked away, no longer able to take the sight of each other anymore. But then Momo would notice this look they would get on their face. Momo didn't really know what it was. It looked to be a mixture of anger and…regret?

Yes, that's what it was. Regret.

If these young two-leggers really did have regrets at the end of every fight, there might be some hope for them yet.

But the problem wasn't really who started the fights, which was usually the female, it was the one who added the fuel to the fire, no pun intended, which was the smoky-smelly male.

So all he had to did was make sure that Zuko didn't make things worse.

Momo had his work cut out for him.

But Momo was nothing if not resourceful. He'd know what to do when the moment presented itself.

"What do you think you're doing?" Like right now.

"What's it look like? I'm making dinner." There was an edge to his tone of voice.

"Since when did banished Princes know when to cook?" Oh, she was getting ready to let him have it.

Wisely, he did not respond. Maybe this human had more intelligence than Momo gave him credit for.

"So what are you making? Soup made from the bones of defenseless families? I heard that's a Fire Nation delicacy."

"No. It's beef jerky stew. But the bone soup does sound better than that trash you made last night. Or has the taste of sea prunes completely ruined your taste buds?"

Maybe not.

"Hey, I got an idea. Why don't you go back to the Fire Nation and eat all the fancy food that you want. Oh wait, you can't. You're banished. They don't want you around any more that the I do."

That seemed to have struck a nerve, because an expression of genuine hurt drifted across Zuko's face. But that was soon replaced with pure hate.

Momo could tell that this would be the fight to end all fights. He had to do something now, before either one did something they would later regret.

Katara turned her back to the Fire Prince, but not walking away, waiting for Zuko's response.

Zuko was more than happy to oblige. He opened his mouth ready to unleash a string of swears and curses at the girl.

But he never got the chance. Because at that moment, Momo leapt from his hiding place and jumped on Zuko's face, effectively cutting him off .

Zuko tried to yell, but all that came out was a kind of muffled whimpering. Zuko couldn't see, speak or even breath. He started to flail around trying to get the stupid animal off his face. He pulled, he pushed, and he even punched, but the lemur would not let go. Momo was hugging the firebender's head with a death grip.

A lemur on his face, spinning around in circles, floundering around like an idiot, Zuko must have been quite the sight.

But the only person in the room was Katara, and she had her back to him, completely unaware of the spectacle behind her. It was obvious that she was still waiting for Zuko's retort so she would have a reason to freeze his butt to the floor.

But there was no angry reply. Only silence in which a boy was fighting for his life.

In those moments, the influence of what Katara said seemed to have backfired on her. Her expression had darkened with regret.

Her back still to the suffocating fire prince, she said "I didn't mean for it to come out that way."

Zuko was too busy trying to breathe to hear what she said.

"I know you've given up a lot to help us. And that I'm the only one in the entire group who hasn't accepted that you've changed."

Zuko's face was turning blue under Momo's belly.

"Even Sokka's talked to me about getting along with you. But it's hard to look at you and not remember all the bad thing's that you and the Fire Nation have done."

Zuko felt dizzy and his thrashing turned sluggish and uncoordinated.

"Aang tells me that you've changed. That you really are a different person. He says that my anger is clouding my judgement, stopping me from seeing the new you. Maybe it is."

Zuko was deathly pale and about 5 seconds from passing out. And about 10 seconds from actually dying.

Having face down generals, angry earthbenders, and an insane Azula, there was no way in hell that Zuko was going to die like this. In a kitchen suffocated by a _lemur._ This is not how was going out.

"I want to believe that you've changed, but it'll take time…"

Zuko used what energy he had left to light a small flame in his hand. He raised it to his face, hoping to burn the animal off. Desprate times…

Unfortanetly, Momo saw the flame coming and jumped off Zuko's head just before the flame made contact. Zuko ended up burning himself.

Finally being able to breathe, he took in a huge breathe and color returned to his face. The burn on his head really hurt.

Zuko was still gasping for breathe when Katara finally turned around.

"I'll make you a deal; if you promise not to be a jerk, I'll promise to be more civil."

Just now realizing that Katara was in the room, Zuko just stared at her confused.

"Uhmm…okay…?"

"Great. See you at dinner Zuko," she said and walked away.

She didn't smile, but there was definitely a brightness in her face that wasn't there before.

Zuko was thoroughly confused.

He directed his gaze to the lemur that had almost been the death of him and vocalized his confusion and anger.

"What the hell was that about? I thought she hated me and you like me. Now _you're_ trying to kill me and _Katara's_ being nice? What the hell was that about? And if you come near me again, I swear _you'll_ be our next dinner."

Momo gave him an irate look.

_The things I do for these kids…_


	13. Psst Pass It On

**Psst! Pass it on.**

Toph was the first to know. Her earth sight giving her the power to see everything around her, Toph had the heads up on this juicy, little piece of gossip. She _could _have told someone else, but where was the fun in that? Better let them figure it out for themselves. Besides, the last few weeks have been _so_ boring, she could use some entertainment.

Two weeks later, Suki figured it out. The scream could be heard two villages over.

The next to learn about it was Katara. It was during a girl's night out with Suki and Toph. Just as they were making their way into a bar to get something to drink, the Kyoshi warrior blurted it out. Heart attack is an understatement to the surprise Katara felt.

Toph just smiled knowingly.

Not even three days later, and Katara told Zuko, despite being sworn to secrecy.

Normally Katara's _really_ good at keeping secrets, but Zuko was practically begging her to tell him. At least that's what Katara told herself.

"How was your outing with Suki and Toph?"

"It was fine, absolutely normal, nothing out of the ordinary! Yup, everything was okey-dokey! You don't have to worry about a thing!"

…

"Katara, is there something you need to tell me?"

"Well…"

And then she told him.

Zuko could already feel the headache coming on. And the one that he would most certainly have tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that.

Being the Fire Lord, Zuko was able to keep top secret information a little better than his waterbending friend. And this particular secret being a real doozy, Zuko fully planned on taking it to the grave if he had to. Mai only found out because she found him drunk one evening. You would think someone like the Fire Lord would be able to hold his own when it came to drinks. But after only one cup, Zuko's vault was wide open and easy picking for anyone who was half as clever as Mai was.

Zuko face palmed himself for the slip up. Mai allowed a small, mischievous smile to grace her features.

It took a week's worth of pleading, endless beseeching, a huge amount of begging, and a particularly large piece of blackmail, but Mai eventually told Ty Lee.

The regret hit Mai like a freight train.

Ty Lee literally ran to tell Azula. Having been released from prison completely rehabilitated, the circus performer felt safe telling her friend this juicy little piece of gossip. When she burst into Azula's room, she had a grin to rival that of the Cheshire Cat's.

Azula already knew.

So did Iroh.

True to her word, Toph hadn't told a soul. Not even her husband, who was too busy trying to rebuild the Air Temples to really notice that anything was out of place. If it wasn't for that stupid, _stupid_ circus freak and her damn messenger hawks, Twinkle Toes would have been none the wiser. But as fate would have it, Aang had walked into the room just as Toph was setting fire to the letter.

Damn Twinkle Toes and his speedy little airbender feet. He was able to slip under Toph's guard and take the letter before it could be incinerated.

Stupid Ty Lee.

Being Aang's literally closest friend, Teo was told almost immediately.

Who soon passed it on to his father, the Mechanist.

Two days later, a man on a glider delivered a message to Haru, who was in Ba Sing Se assisting the Earth King.

Haru told Kieu.

Omashu being Ba Sing Se's closest advisor, Boomi was told soon afterwards.

Boomi told the new General of his army, Smellerbee.

Smellerbee told the rest of the Freedom Fighters.

They told anyone who would listen.

Soon half the Earth Kingdom knew.

An Earth Kingdom citizen told Paku.

Who told Gran-Gran. She was very happy

But not nearly as happy as Hakoda was.

He told Bato.

Who told the rest of the Water Tribe.

Nobody told Sokka.

Everyone agreed that it was best that Suki be the one to tell him about her pregnancy.

* * *

A/N:

That's one big piece of chisme -spanish for gossip-. How did you like the ending?

Did you get the Seinfeld reference? Lemme give you a hint: What opens the vault?

I want to dedicate this story, and every story that I have ever written to my three day old nephew. Little Dean was born November 6th, 2010, at 11:01. Weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and 22 inches long, he is the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen. And I'm not just saying that because I'm his uncle. There are no words to describe how incredibly happy I am.

The little punk scared the hell outta us when he first came out. But he's healthy and very energetic. And feisty! He wouldn't stop pulling the oxygen hose off his face. No matter how much the nurses tried, he would just reach up and yank it off! It was hilarious and adorable! Even when they put special tape, he would just reach up with his little arm and yank it off! And I swear he knows when you're there, because when I speak to him, he stares right at me! Oh, this kid's gonna be clever. And he's gonna his Tio Shady -TheBlueFoxtrot- to help guide him.


End file.
